The Language of Flowers
by dramatickeychanges
Summary: Washington was the best leader their country could've asked for, but his fatal flaw was leaving the throne to Alexander just as a war is wrapping up and the stability of the nation is in doubt. When he accepts the offer of a political marriage and flowers keep appearing wherever he goes, it's easy for him to assume the worse. (T for future events.)
1. The Foundation

Temperature was an area where Alexander had the worst foresight, something he realized as the heat infiltrated his thick clothing. It was humid, and Alexander's hands started to sweat as he pressed them together in worry. The political climate in the kingdom, much like the day's weather, was just as heated. He struggled to form the inner workings of a peace treaty in his head, knowing that if he had no good ideas, his advisors would take over.

Technically, there was no way he should be able to write out any sort of treaty as a prince. It was up to the king, but he had abdicated the throne and left Alexander in the middle of chaos. Stability was needed to get him on the throne, and with war still raging at the northern border and the nobility casting him dark looks, he suspected he'd have trouble on the path to being coronated. But for now, the former advisors of George had decided that Alexander would assume his role until George came back, Alexander met the requirements for ruling, or if the worst happened, someone else would take their place. Whichever came first. The requirements? Alexander only had to survive the months until next summer, the season of coronations.

He knew George Washington wasn't coming back to the throne, the man had made it very clear to him on his departure that no further political squabbles would find his peaceful home on the outskirts of the forest. That was fine, Alexander knew how to rule. The problem was, the nobles didn't think he could. The stain of his nation's hereditary monarchy remained even as the former king adopted child after child, not intending to have a biological heir. Everyone assumed the bloodline would die out until Alexander was suddenly declared a legitimate child. The lie was blatantly false to him, but some nobles seemed to buy it. Others kept spreading rumors of his upbringing.

"Alexander," his servant said, calling him from his thoughts. The simple touch of his hand on Alex's arm had cleared his head. Alexander smiled as he remembered there were some constants in his now messy daily life. Laurens. George had brought him in as a child from the unusually cold winter, intending to raise him, but Laurens had insisted on earning his place in the castle. Alexander didn't have that choice, which he was glad for now, his pride would've declined George's hand without any hesitation. Laurens continued with, "The diplomat is here, he wishes to discuss something with you."

"Thank you," Alexander replied, betraying no sign of nervousness. Inside, he was clueless. Peace with the north after their skirmishes would take up his week with meetings, there was no simple way out brewing in his mind. But he knew what he wanted, at least. He wanted the northern soldiers out of the territory, the embargo removed, and some payment. His confidence dwindled as he was reminded the north wouldn't give these things up for free. Some things had to go, and with the country in debt and the stability in doubt, he didn't know what.

He opened the two doors that led to the dining hall, the peace of the garden behind him leaving his heart. He didn't need to look back to see where Laurens had gone, it was in his character to had either gone to the stables or the lake to sketch. At the head of the table was a diplomat from the elusive north, it being obvious the king couldn't be bothered to even attempt to contact them. Alexander hoped this apathy stopped at King George and didn't spread to this diplomat.

As soon as he sat down, the diplomat started speaking, with no care given to introducing himself, "Good afternoon, prince Alexander. As the diplomat hailing from Elysia, we feel it is in both of our best interests to negotiate terms and bring peace to our nations in light of recent skirmishes."

"An apology for the interruption, but I'd like to hear Elysia's demands before we begin," Alexander said, the smirks of Elysia's visiting nobles and the uncaring looks of his own nobles unnerving him. It felt more like a trial of his peers than negotiations with a nameless diplomat. He wondered if he had done something wrong already.

"Very well. As we wish to reduce damages, we ask for a period of peace and reconstruction of our relations, one that should be enforced for our good," the diplomat said. Alexander resisted the urge to lean back in his seat, though these demands were simple, he knew how peace was enforced in Elysia.

Alexander folded his arms, and responded, "If you're asking for me to open the borders for your army to discourage another attack, I should remind you that it was not our actions that provoked the beginning of this war. Our demands request for the removal of every soldier from our territory."

The diplomat smiled in an obvious attempt to seem sincere, and said, "Not at all what I'm implying. I'm asking for a union between our nations. To enforce this, one of our nobles have suggested you marry a noble of Elysian origin. With a heir of both of our blood, it'd be unwise for either of us to attack each other."

"I'm sorry, what?" Alexander asked before he could stop himself. He blinked and continued, "Right… I see what you mean. A marriage between me and someone from Elysia would discourage any violence, I believe that would be the best course of action." He thought he'd have to give up some alliances and make his army smaller, give away something that wasn't himself. And marriage with anyone was a slap to the face of any noble of his domain who had hopes of a royal wedding.

"The noble we have selected for our union is a woman from the Schuyler family. She is the second oldest daughter, the first oldest already being married. The ceremony will be sometime this week if you accept her hand. We'll work out the details tomorrow if you sign," the diplomat concluded. Alexander piqued at the mention of this specific daughter, a woman by the name of Eliza Schuyler. The Schuyler family was powerful in the other country, but Eliza in particular had won over the hearts of nobles and commoners in his own domain. He wondered if this was on purpose, or if she was unaware of the reputation she had in his land. Alexander shook his head, there was no way this woman had gained all of her favor accidentally.

He was passed a quill, an inkwell, and the treaty. With no hesitation, he dipped the quill into some ink and signed. There was no room for error, and one look of regret would sour relations with this new ally. "Thank you for your visit, do get back to your domain safely after tomorrow," he said to the diplomat, before escaping to the halls. Alexander knew it was easy for him to lose his cool, so he decided to ride out his shock outside. Fears piled up inside him, and there was only one person he could confess them to.

He found this person at the tranquil lake behind the castle, with a full page of turtle and frog sketches. Alexander gazed at a fawn that the other had by his side. The servant had seen this fawn in the same spot for a few days and hadn't seen its mother anywhere. Laurens always was better with animals than Alexander, the former joking that he had a magic touch that seemed to calm everyone.

Laurens looked back from the dock, hearing Alexander's footsteps on the wood, and said, "That was faster than I expected. How does peace feel?"

Alexander was already confessing, finding no reason to hold back the inevitable, "Well, I'm a married man now. I suppose that was bound to happen, now that it's plausible I could be on the throne. But still…" Laurens kept his gaze on the still water surrounding them on three sides. "It's too early for all this," Alexander continued, "Soon even you will be married, however long that takes."

Laurens ignored the joke and only responded with, "No time for marriage for me, too much to be done. You're quite a demanding one."

"I wish I could use that excuse," Alexander said, sighing. Laurens jolted a bit, his hands over his heart as if to protect it. It didn't go unnoticed, the other knew that Laurens became a little defensive when it came to the subject of marriage. Alexander knew why, of course. He never got out of the castle, it was obvious that he had trouble interacting with people. Perhaps it wasn't right to have him trapped inside the walls all day.

"When's the ceremony?" Laurens asked, holding a smooth stone in his palm that he had found sitting on the dock.

"Sometime this week," Alexander repeated the diplomat's words, no emotion present in his voice. It's not that he was apathetic about meeting the most powerful person in his country that didn't even live there, on the contrary, he was nervous. She seemed to be a force to be reckoned with, able to influence anyone to his side.

But he could use that, right? The thought branched out before he could object. It made sense, if he could sway her, he could sway the entire country to trust him on the throne. This wasn't a union of affection, just political gain. The diplomat may have realized that sooner than him, but now he had something to get out of this marriage.

They sat in silence as Alexander watched Laurens throw the rock across the water with a force he hadn't seen in him before. It skipped across the water only once, an anticlimactic finish to what Laurens wanted as he sighed in frustration. Alexander could relate to his troubles, though his were huge in comparison to his servant's. There was the subject of heirs going off in his mind, and while it was necessary, Alexander couldn't imagine having a heir, but at least he wouldn't have to move out of his country. And besides, he always had someone to watch his back, his always loyal friend and servant.

With an arm vigilant and on guard for the one he was escorting, Laurens led him back to the castle so he could draft a letter to the remaining leader who would attend the meeting of the entire known civilized world this winter. It was designed to keep the peace, but ultimately failing as nations raced to take control. Now, it was only a glorified gala. But it was still the proper thing for him to attend and try and convince other nations to attend as well.

The words did not come to the paper easily, not because of stress but because of who this letter was addressed to. A leader and fervent monarchy hater, yet somehow, they managed to stay afloat. Alexander had his theories, but he quit thinking about it a long time ago because some of the more disturbing theories were keeping him up at night. This would be addressed to the ministry of state leader, a slightly more tolerable man by the name of James Madison.

"To one of my closest allies," Alexander began writing, already lying. He and Madison had ideological differences that couldn't be quelled with a few words from him, which meant it wasn't worth trying to change his mind. "I am well aware you know of the world meeting this early winter, falling on the end of November in the neutral territory that lies west of Elysia. I extend our invitation to your nation and implore you to consider attending to strengthen your relationships. As a new nation, this is the first step to gaining prestige. Perhaps a financial discussion is in order as well, you know that as an obedient servant to the public, I consider your nation's health just as important as my nation's and my own." He signed with his signature, A. Ham, and placed it in an envelope. Alexander held a smug look knowing his ally's future downfall, a weak financial system and crippling debt. He would help; it was in his best interests to, though he'd definitely rub it in their faces if their system backfired on them.

A knock was heard at the door. The sound is planned, almost the exact same amount of time between each noise. Alexander had a suspicion about who it was before he even opened the door. Aaron Burr, second-in-line to the throne. Taken in by Washington, he was older than Alexander, making him the first consideration for the throne. But technically, Alexander was declared a legitimate child first, so the rule of the first legitimate child to be acknowledged gets the throne played in his favor.

Alexander analyzed Aaron's features. He didn't seem too upset about the political situation that placed the crown on Alex's head instead of his own. With no emotion seeping into his voice, Aaron announced, "Dinner will begin in five minutes down in the dining hall. Dessert's bread pudding, and… Is that a letter?" He pointed at Alexander's desk.

"Yes, would you please run this to someone who will ride this over to the ministry of state in Fluxus?" the other asked, handing Aaron the letter.

Aaron took the envelope, transferring it from the light grasp of Alexander's to the firm grip that Aaron uses on the paper. "Of course," he merely said, before shutting the door behind him. Not a word more was said to Alexander, the only sound being the light footsteps Aaron always had. He found it funny that for a guy with footsteps so quiet he could sneak up on you, he had a grip so strong you couldn't take a thing from him if he held on to it.

Speaking of Aaron, Alexander thought it'd be best if he at least showed up to dinner. He unrolled his sleeves and slipped a light coat over his outfit. Perhaps it'd be more appropriate if he wore more regal clothing, but that could send the wrong message. He didn't know. Nobody had taught him how to be a king.

Nobody had expected him to have a chance of becoming king in the first place.

* * *

 **Hey again, here's a skippable note, I apologize for the wait for something new. I really do like school this year, but it snuck up on me. Everything's a lot more stable, so I'm glad to be back. I wanted to do something _really_ different, so I'm going to be playing with some supernatural and fantasy elements. This is a story a friend helped me with. She's awesome and made this story a lot more fun to write, even though a kingdom AU is one of my favorite things already!**

 **Also, I'd like to add that some things might be different from canon because of the drastic change in environment. And extra note, I found it fun to put in some thought to the names of countries and brush up on the meanings of flowers.**


	2. Wrapped Up

**Sorry for the kinda tedious start, but now it'll be picking up! And thank you for reading, of course.**

* * *

Alexander would have preferred the wedding to be a private affair, or at least a quiet one. Unfortunately, this wedding was none of those things. He hasn't even seen his arranged wife yet he already had to suffer through talks of heirs by visiting nobles. Of course, the wedding was a fusion of both of their cultures, so Alexander's suit was sewn entirely by a local tailor he preferred over importing an elaborate suit he'd only wear once.

"Hold still," said this tailor as he hemmed his waist. Alexander held his breath to quell his subtle shaking, trying not to suck in too much air or else the waist would end up too tight for him.

A noble he actually enjoyed the presence of, a rare sight, gushed over Alexander as the sewing finished up. He hadn't seen this military general turned noble much, but he considered anyone who Washington trusted a friend of his. Talks of floral arrangements and cakes went through one ear and out the other for Alexander, he only kept hearing the word "arrangements."

"Lafayette, be quiet. The ranting isn't helping his nervousness, obviously," the tailor said. Obvious? Alexander became a little more self-aware, wondering how nervous he really looked. Nervousness. It only gave way to showing fear. Showing fear was the worst way to lose. Losing meant everything. He couldn't.

Before his thoughts truly took a turn for the worst, Lafayette placed a hand on Alexander's shoulder and muttered, "Washington would be so proud of you right now. Ending a war, marriage…" But before Alexander could complain about him speaking of Washington as if he were dead, the stitching started up again and it was back to Alexander focusing on his steady and small breaths.

In a rare few minutes of silence as his eyes focused on the wall ahead of him, he thought about nothing. Which was difficult considering the current situation, but he managed by thinking of something that made him happy. Images of quiet dinners and memories of picnics on the dock calmed him down and time slipped away from him. It was hard remembering specifics, he's never had a day that really stuck out to him in his mind. "And it's done," he said, adding a quick reminder for Alexander to not overeat while wearing the suit.

"Thank you…" Alexander said, the name on the tip of his tongue. He never had a constant need for new clothes and never visited the tailor that often, he was fine wearing George's baggy clothes that weren't made with him in mind. He just had to take the scissors and make them... adjusted to his height.

"It's Hercules," he introduced, but before saying another word he vanished to another room. The ceremony must be starting soon. Alexander went over the guidelines for weddings with a reluctant but helpful Elysian noble. It was proper for Eliza's father to attend, but not required for Alexander's. Yet another way the nobles could spread rumors about his parentage. Alexander sighed. No matter who he called his father, neither of the two would show up. One was who-knows-where, the other retired and moved on.

And apparently, the king hadn't been bothered to show up to this event either. Perhaps he had an ailment or more likely, didn't care for Alexander much. Wouldn't be the first ruler, unfortunately. He looked himself over in the mirror. Everything was adjusted for him by Hercules, but he took the time to remove the thorns from a dyed blue rose Laurens had given him this morning for the wedding. The servant had taken up floral arrangements as a hobby since it was obvious Alexander wasn't planning to hone his creative side. He knew that Laurens couldn't tell the actual messages flowers told, but neither could he. It seemed that was a thing only nobles got. But the flower was a deep hue that he found the perfect complement to his suit, so Alexander decided to tuck it into the suit pocket. It's not like there was a flower for giving someone a death threat.

Hercules walked back into the room, giving him a quick, "Here's your cue." Alexander nodded and entered the main room, a small and unsure smile on his face. Once the eyes of the guests were on him, they parted and formed a path to the middle where a woman in a baby blue dress that was almost white was standing. There was enough space around her for the two of them to be comfortable.

Alexander knew he hesitated when reaching for Eliza's hand. She looked at him with trained eyes, regal composure assuring a soft smile on her features. It was easy to coax an expression that looked pleased with the atmosphere she provided. Alexander could've sworn the crowd didn't exist in that moment as he muttered the promises that were to lead to the big moment where Alexander would walk her back down the path as a married woman. Perhaps that was his way of coping. He didn't mind, it was peaceful. He heard a soft humming which seemed to worry Eliza but it didn't reach Alexander. He wondered what she was hearing that he wasn't.

He laid a hand on her arm as he led her down the aisle, almost like it was a dream and he would wake up in someone else's room because he couldn't be bothered to walk from the library to his room after a long day. He couldn't hear anything other than their combined breaths. But when the walk was finished and she gave him a sympathetic look, the crowd's cheering rushed into his ears as they separated. Alexander blinked as his mind cleared, the strange effect wearing off.

"Hi," he finally said, not entirely feeling the effects of pressure but fully aware that these were his first words to his wife.

Eliza smiled, and said, "It's nice to finally see you. Nature never lies to me, which is why I'm sure you'll be a wonderful ruler from what I've seen so far of this place." He never had the talent of flattery, but she seemed to have it covered.

"Thank you," Alexander responded, "I'll be sure to show you around the castle grounds when we get back." A clear waste of time, but it would do him good to get to know the person he'd have to spend his life with. He felt the same dread he had felt that fateful day signing the treaty that gave his hand away without a thought. Alexander sighed, knowing it could be worse.

A woman that appeared around Eliza's age pulled her away from Alexander's bubble, giving a quick wave to him before walking off. With no real clue to her identity, Alexander assumed that was one of her sisters. The Schuyler family was uncomfortably large for an arranged marriage, something he was sure was just for political gain. Meanwhile, Lafayette was looking at him like he was doing something wrong. A faint memory of whispering came to mind, and Alexander could finally recall the nobles softly talking about him while he was up there.

"Mon ami, I was informed by Washington that you are not well-versed in more of the, how you say, decorative skills, so I will be the first to guide you into this strange world of 'if you wear this shade of color, you're telling someone to go jump off a cliff,'" Lafayette started saying, Alexander left clueless about what he was doing wrong. "You see, blue roses hold a special meaning when they're worn, they symbolize the hope for the unattainable. But when they're worn in a wedding in Elysian culture… I'll summarize, you've admitted to everyone here that you'll commit adultery in the future."

Alexander felt his eyes widen. "...I was not aware, I apologize," he said, "Please do tell everyone it was a mistake, I was merely attempting to match the blue of Eliza's dress." This was a blatant lie, he had never seen her dress before this, but any excuse is better than none.

Lafayette nodded, and added, "You really should consider studying the language of flowers in your down time, it really is fascinating how a single flower can hold a deep meaning to it. Plus, it seems like nobody here lets go of any slip up you make."

"I'll consider it," Alexander dismissed, then admitting, "I've been swamped with diplomacy and financial work while my work with the nobles has been lacking." He thought to himself about all the work he would have to do on all three fronts, and that was only to be trusted as a king. Being liked opened a whole new set of problems. But just like how the public adored Eliza, they treated Lafayette like a hero along with Washington. "If it's not too much trouble, perhaps you could show me the ropes back at the castle?"

"Are you requesting for me to fill an advisor position?" Lafayette inquired, to which Alexander nodded. "Then I accept, Elysia's traditions are slowly driving me mad." He chuckled a bit like it was an inside joke between him and nobody else. "I'll trust I'll have a bed to sleep in?" he asked.

"Of course, I'm sure it'll be ready as soon as we get there," Alexander said. Unfortunately, he was right. He had insisted Laurens accompany him, but the servant had stayed behind. "Do enjoy the remaining minutes we have left to celebrate," Alexander said. If there was one thing he liked about Elysian culture, it was that they knew how to get straight to the point when it came to celebrations. These last few minutes would be to get a carriage ready for the three of them. Or the four of them, considering the way Lafayette was talking to Hercules.

He used this time to stand outside in the chill air, letting it seep into what little skin was exposed on him. It was quiet except for the hushed voice of a woman on a balcony not too far away from him. He approached the voice, crouching and careful to keep quiet.

"You know the effect that'll have on him long-term," another woman said, "You can't shield him from public opinion like that. Listen, I know it's difficult to control sometimes, but promise me to tell him." The conversation at first seemed to be one of those vague conversations that wouldn't be of use to him until a name was thrown out. "It's what Washington promised to tell him, and he's far overdue for learning." His interest in the conversation grew now that there was a real possibility that perhaps she was talking about him.

But then he heard the soft voice of his wife cement this thought by saying, "I promise to tell him about it." Alexander was starting to hate the invention of pronouns, specifically made to keep these conversations uninteresting enough to keep out others. But he had a vague idea it was about him. He rose up and was off before he let anyone have the chance of spotting him eavesdropping. He may not be well-versed in culture, but he knew this would stain his reputation permanently if caught.

Besides, the carriage was ready. He'd rather be on his way home early than stick around to say goodbye to unnamed nobles. He waited at the entrance for Eliza and his new advisor. His wife exited the building, led by Lafayette and trailed by the tailor from earlier. Alexander raised an eyebrow but Lafayette shrugged it off like he was supposed to be there. The carriage door was opened at the same time as the floodgates of Alexander's mind were. Everything he needed to do once he got home raged a war in his head fighting for prioritization. All of the work of managing a kingdom plus that walk he promised Eliza. And with him already implying he was a promise breaker, it would be best not to prove that right.

"It's a beautiful night," Eliza commented, looking through the carriage opening and her hands almost restrained to her lap. "Do tell me it's the right temperature for a late night walk, I would be disappointed if it were still warm enough for insects to be biting at us or too cold to walk without heavy layers."

Alexander smiled, and said, "I do believe it's fine enough to walk, though it's been getting colder these past few weeks, earlier than usual. Some are already raising alarms that this will be our coldest winter yet." Which would upset him, a blizzard like the one Laurens was trapped in so long ago would surely keep them in the castle for at least a week. Even if he didn't have a strong wanderlust, he didn't like the feeling of being caged.

The carriage trip was an hour-long trip filled with the occasional quip about political affairs and daily events. But the true topic of interest began with Eliza and Alexander split away from Lafayette and began their walk around the garden. Though her eyes betrayed tiredness from the day's festivities, she kept her eyes up and alert.

"Is there something you wish to speak about?" Alexander asked.

She exited her almost ethereal calm state for a moment then jumped back into her small smile, her eyebrows still raised a little. "Yes, I suppose there is. This is something that here in Elysia is widespread, but here it appears that it's uncommon… maybe unknown," she started her explanation with, "I wanted to tell you right when I met you, although Lafayette has informed me your father intended to tell you on your twentieth birthday that this even existed."

Alexander didn't flinch at this, Washington was prone to hiding things from him. He had even taken all of his journals with him, even the ones only detailing financial transactions. He could never copy his genius, nor could he ever know everything in terms of what the past king had done in his period of ruling.

Eliza shifted uncomfortably and restrained her hands to her side. "I'm sure you remember what happened during the ceremony," she said.

"The crowd seemed to melt away, I couldn't hear a bit of what they were saying," Alexander described.

"Just know that wasn't real. I know it may not look like it, especially in your country, but everyone can hone the power to manipulate what others think of them. I have visual and auditory manipulation, so as long as we were touching, I could give you specific images and sounds," Eliza explained, "I can't tell what power set you'll have, of course. You could have the power of touch or even speech."

It was almost like they weren't just married, and Eliza was only another one of Alexander's mentors. That didn't relieve him much, but with the news that everyone had the ability to manipulate others, the air seemed to be heavy with discomfort. Everyone. So even his closest friend had hidden his magic, or maybe Laurens didn't know he had powers. "How do you tell if somebody's trained in magic?" Alexander asked, "How do you train?"

"Well, first… to train, you just have to learn to control the way energy moves about in your body and then you have to will it into someone else," she answered, "So people trained in it tend to be more composed and sure of themselves. Some become more compassionate and sensitive. We have stories. Traditions. But I'm sure what you'd want to learn is what you can do."

Alexander figured she was worn out enough, that perhaps he shouldn't test her just yet with his endless curiosity. "I wish that I could right now, but I suppose now would be an appropriate time to go in, I'll show Lafayette to his bedroom and then show you to mine," he said, not enough emotion invested in his speech for her to take it the wrong way, "Perhaps I'll take up on that offer you proposed tomorrow." He headed back inside where Lafayette was having a very animated conversation with the tailor and Laurens. Alexander smiled, perhaps he didn't need to drag the servant places. He tapped on Lafayette's shoulder and signaled to the stairs. His new advisor followed close behind.

Though it was traditional for advisors to have their own section of the castle, Alexander had run out of rooms. Perhaps that said something about his skill level, but nonetheless, Lafayette would have to sleep in his room since childhood. At least the bed had recently been replaced with a larger frame for what Washington joked was his only growth spurt. Alexander cracked a smile, it jabbed at his height but the usual stoic George bent over chuckling at his younger self's quick defensiveness was a sight. He opened the door to the room he'd have to say goodbye to, now that he had moved into Washington's old room.

Lafayette looked around. "Cozy," he simply said. Alexander sprang to apologize but Lafayette smiled. But his grin dropped with he spotted a stem with vibrant pink flowers growing out of it placed on the other's nightstand. "Is this a gift from someone?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Alexander answered. He then remembered the incident that led to him hiring Lafayette. "Any idea what it means?"

He didn't have to think twice. "Forget-Me-Not, I assume that's all I have to say. Don't worry about it too much, it could be someone just deciding the flowers looked pretty. Not everything has a deep meaning, Alexander, especially when your culture doesn't value the arts as much as the others do."

"It just feels planned," Alexander burst out, "I mean, why this room?"

"Slighted lover?" Lafayette offered, "The night after your wedding, there's no denying that it's most likely not a coincidence. But it isn't your job to worry, just continue on. Perhaps it's a onetime thing." Alexander continued on with his worrying, it wasn't as easy as Lafayette implied. He couldn't think of anyone he's had a romantic relationship with. Sure, he's had thoughts, but being locked in a castle with work didn't help that aspect of his life.

Alexander exited the room after wishing Lafayette a good night. To his surprise, he found someone walking in the hallways. Of course, it was Laurens, rushing somewhere. The question was, what was he doing with that tray? Alexander speculated until he caught with Laurens, who turned around and noticed him.

"Good evening, Laurens," Alexander said, eyeing the tray that held two cups of tea. "I forgot to mention that I moved rooms to accommodate some new people, I apologize."

"It's fine, really. While you're here, here's the tea you asked for when you got home. I made two cups, just in case… whats-her-name wanted it," Laurens said, handing off the tray to him. Alexander still looked at him, wondering why he couldn't remember asking for tea. He was more of a coffee person, but he supposed he shouldn't complain. Laurens looked strained enough. Alexander made a mental note to subtly alter his list of duties. Though Laurens was blatantly stressed, he had the same untamed pride as Alexander that no amount of noble influence could diminish.

"Thank you," he said, then adding, "Her name's Eliza if you're wondering. I'm sure you two would get along, she's a lovely person." Laurens lowered his gaze and slightly nodded.

He kept his expression straight and said, "You'd better get settled in, Alexander. I'll handle getting all of your stuff into your new room," Laurens trailed off than his eyes sharply met Alexander's. "I forgot to say, Burr's been looking for you," he said.

"Is it important?" Alexander asked. Burr usually never talked to him unless it was prudent to his work. He remembered times where the three of them were close, and now it was just Alexander and his work. Laurens and his constant stream of chores he assigned himself. Burr and his isolation in the room that even he didn't have any power over.

Laurens shrugged. "I'm sure he can wait the couple of hours you spend on rest. Some letter he got today..."

Every cell in him screamed diplomacy as he threw his hands up in the air. How had the letter taken so long? They bordered each other, letters usually only took a couple of days. He handed back the tea tray to Laurens and ranted, "You have a spare to our rooms, so just hand this to Eliza and tell her I'll be with her in a bit." He knew the message got across just fine, his closest friend was used to his fast speech.

"Of course," Laurens said, disappearing into the dark and stuffiness that had migrated from Alexander's room to Washington's.

He found Burr waiting outside of the entrance to the kitchen, holding out the reply to his letter. "Your move against Fluxus, I suppose," he merely said, having no idea what the situation was or how meaningless it was in Alexander's long-term plan.

Just another day, really, of wondering why his decisions seemed to never be exactly right. It just happened to be his wedding night this time around.


	3. The Omen

He felt the familiar pillow of wood as his head rested against a desk for a final few seconds of rest. The light reached his mind and he couldn't ignore the sun pulling him out of his dreams. His eyes blinked open as he realized he was sleeping right by a letter he couldn't remember reading.

To his surprise, his old letter wasn't answered by Madison, but Jefferson himself. It read, "From your most faithful friend." He swore his eyes were going to roll out of his sockets reading these letters someday. Alexander started reading the contents to himself in disbelief, "'Addressing your request to partake in the meeting of the known world this winter, it would not be a surprise for you to read that I do accept. However, I've found that it would be beneficial to hear about the events happening in our societies in person. Due to my dear Ministry of State falling ill, I will be making the trip while he recovers.'" His voice gave out as more and more of the words refused to pick up volume.

He groaned loudly. One week of dealing with Jefferson. He didn't even want to read the rest of the letter or see Jefferson's huge cursive initials that looked like a serious case of overcompensation. Alexander smiled. It _was_ always said that the only huge thing in Jefferson's pocket was debt, even more than his. He probably shouldn't be laughing due to there being far more crude things said about himself, but he had no other time to poke fun at other leaders. There were no other leaders to make fun of. King George was reportedly too dense to take an insult, while Madison would hold a grudge until his deathbed and then he'd use his last words to curse your name. Jefferson was the right amount of density and sensitivity to where some insults would fly over him and those that did get him riled up. Not riled up enough to hold a grudge, though. In that way, he was the perfect verbal punching bag.

He looked outside to see Burr at the shooting range, with his glasses on. The aid didn't provide much towards his aim as he visibly sighed in frustration. Alexander wiped his face from last night with a handkerchief. He got up from the desk and wondered where the door was, it usually was in the left corner. Then he realized the bed was completely different. How had he gotten in here? He remembered just being by the kitchen. His window didn't even provide a view of the shooting range.

He thought to himself about the only places he usually woke up in. The kitchen, library, and he had a key to Laurens' room. That made sense to him, it was right next to where he saw Burr last night. The need for sleep must've overpowered the other things he had to do. Speaking of things to do, he found the daily to-do list Laurens had on his door. Looks like he had given himself some more chores.

"Polish Burr's pistols," Alexander read, perfectly normal so far, "Study manners... Horseback riding? All those chores and he still has time to do all of this? I need to learn a thing or two from him..." He supposed the horseback riding explained his care with animals that Alexander had thought he just didn't notice before. But studying manners? What use would he have learning how to ask someone to dance or learning the exact way to style curls?

Speaking of which, where was Laurens? This _was_ his room. Alexander sighed, him being in his room probably scared Laurens off. He supposed he couldn't fix that; it was best to just move on with his day. No need to draft a reply, none was needed for Jefferson. Today was a drafty Thursday, a weekday he dreaded. Today he was going to be studying more manners. Because after fourteen years of grooming at the castle, he still had no idea which hand to greet with and which hand to eat with. He sighed, feeling embarrassed that he was the only one among his peers who still had required lessons to do.

But when he entered the library to endure another session of torture, he found Lafayette waiting patiently in the desk. "What?" Alexander asked in disbelief, wondering what happened to his usual teacher.

"Ah, if you're wondering," Lafayette started, "Your teacher took me aside and admitted that she wasn't getting anywhere with you. So this is why we're just gonna..." He swept the textbooks to the edge of the desk.

"So I'm a hopeless case?" Alexander clarified.

Lafayette smiled, and said, "We'd call you a work in progress in Elysia. Which is why we're all here to complete you." He pressed his hands together for a small clap. Alexander felt a little better at the statement. He supposed that was the point of him saying that.

The lesson was interesting, to say the least. Lafayette tackled teaching Alexander multiple things at once, reminding him to do this to charm and to do that to convey confidence. But instead of leaving it at that, he explained why it came to be and why it was so important so it would click. And as Lafayette finished up by explaining the different things that Alexander definitely should not do, he came upon a topic that Alexander at first didn't get. That subject was a tradition of his homeland, which Lafayette said he liked to call the "Elysian superior phenomenon," or in its ironic short form, ESP.

"You see," Lafayette said, "It's where you're overstimulated with magic for far too long, and your mind starts to blur the lines between reality and the magic used on you. It always seems to happen with the leaders, the new person to exhibit this being King George, sadly. He's constantly telling everyone about a boy that keeps appearing in his visions."

"How... how can you be _overstimulated_ with magic?" Alexander asked, wondering if he had already experienced it.

"Well... Whenever someone pushes out too much energy at once and they don't have enough to function, they'll pass out," Lafayette said, "For the receiver, they have more energy than what to do with, so the body forces it out by spending it on itself. And since Elysia's most common form of magic is hearing and seeing, this means that they'll get vivid hallucinations. Trust my word when I say they're not a fun experience."

He thought about what everyone's told him about magic, still in disbelief that he's been sheltered from this for years. Wouldn't someone had slipped up eventually? "What's our most common form of magic?" Alexander asked, the questions never seeming to end.

"I wish I had a sure answer," Lafayette answered, "From what I've heard about here in Minutiae, it's touch. But... I don't think that's what you have. Are you from here?"

Alexander felt a small lump form at the back of his throat. "I'm not sure," he said, "Bad memory of my early days, like a lot of other people." His memories of his childhood were all at the castle, but he didn't feel as if he was even born in his own country. The strange sense of not belonging was something he could push away with ease as he accepted George as always being there for him. There was a time before, though, one that Alexander felt he couldn't ignore as it was five years of his life he couldn't remember.

"Then maybe... you might have the power of speech," the other suggested, "The one power that doesn't require you to be touching someone, as it travels on sound waves. Forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but speech I believe is like having the power to move mountains by convincing others to do it for you." That didn't sound right to him, he always hated crowds. He also hadn't taken a minute of speech classes to cover up an accent that others said sounded unintelligent; Alexander looked genuinely confused about the possibility that he was good at leading.

Lafayette sighed and closed the lesson with, "We are _not_ doing this for another four hours. You've got places to be, so you're dismissed." There were still more questions floating around in Alexander's mind, but he understood why nobody liked teaching him. His lessons usually took five hours at most because his old teacher would correct his posture every five seconds and remind him to call her by her title. He supposed now on the path of coronation, there wasn't enough time to waste on posture.

Outside, Eliza was waiting for him. Alexander stopped in his tracks and waved. He wondered what she was doing here. Then he remembered he left her alone last night, and he began to worry. His mind set off, wondering if she was mad or if the incident was grounds for a divorce. He wouldn't be that surprised if it was, but Eliza's expression didn't seem to imply any anger. It was unreadable, sure, but he had a feeling he'd know when she was mad.

"Alexander, I'm heading down to the garden to meditate," Eliza explained, "I thought you'd like to come, I asked around to see if anyone else wanted to join but almost everyone seemed intimidated by me." She looked glum, and Alexander emphasized with her while also feeling for the people she must've scared half to death. It was hard not to jump at new people, especially when there were no guards around and about in the castle and your only defense was witnesses.

Alexander tried not to think about that. It's not like he was hated by anyone; it was just that nobody trusted him yet. "I'll join you then," Alexander said, though uncomfortable at the thought of sitting still for minutes on end. He wasn't sure he could do that, he'd be itching to say something or reach for a writing utensil. He couldn't just do nothing.

"You'll love it," Eliza commented, a soft smile on her features, "Though my way's a bit untraditional. You're supposed to sit and sense the energy inside you by moving muscles and what-not, but I find it easier to get to know myself by meeting new people."

Alexander nodded, the sentiment going right over his head. He seemed to know himself well enough. "Well, after all of this, how do you know what type of magic you have?"

"That's the best part," Eliza answered, smiling wider. "It reveals itself to you once you know enough. Like chopping through vines to see cave etchings. It'll reveal itself in its most powerful form, a glimpse of what you could achieve in time. It seems to kind of be able to tell the future, too. In my experience, it showed me a castle just like this and I heard a tune I wish I could repeat. With touch, I've heard stories of projections of light... Speech seems to not do much in terms of telling you about the future, ironically."

Before they knew it, the outside air made itself known by settling on them. It was starting to get colder, the beginning of winter. Alexander made his way to the group of three and sat was Hercules, someone Eliza already seemed to know; Burr, who looked like he was dragged out here; and Laurens, uncomfortable in the cold.

"Hello, everyone," Eliza said, sitting between Alexander and Hercules. "How has everyone's day been so far?"

Hercules replied first, "It's been getting better, I've been looking for the right pattern for this dress..." Alexander could see why Burr was looking so sour, and he usually never understood the man. This wasn't how he would like to spend his time. Alexander did make an attempt to listen to the rant on fabrics, but he couldn't understand a lick of it. He tried to tune out everyone until he only heard his inner voice. It's been awhile since he's had some time to think about something other than a goal he needed to fulfill. It was worrying him. There was always something needed to be done, and even if everything seemed to be complete it never felt finished. But for now, everything seemed fine. He was okay.

He didn't realize he was dozing off until he heard a soft and slow tune of a violin and jolted. Alexander looked at his hand. He must've accidentally touched Eliza while she was focusing. Just like it never happened, he quickly went back to thinking of nothing. To keep himself awake, he dug the nails of one of his hands into his arm. Hurt a little, but effective as always for keeping him focused on the task.

He didn't enjoy getting off-task, it led to thoughts he'd rather bury. He didn't understand why he felt so strongly about thoughts of beaches with driftwood littering them. The part that disturbed him was that for all of his life, he's lived in a landlocked country. He's never been to a beach yet he knew what he was seeing in his mind.

Broken pieces of wood crashed on the sand as if swept there by some unimaginable force. His hands on the sand felt off; he couldn't feel a thing. There were holes in his memory, so it was to be expected some things just couldn't be fathomed. The pain settled in as he tried to stand. Alexander wondered why he was barefoot, why he was here, why this was the only memory he had. Why he felt so _small._

The wind was picking up with his thoughts, sensing his distrust of the place. It wasn't a light breeze like the ocean usually provided. There was something brewing, something that had taken hold in the ocean. The young Alexander that had explored this place had always wondered why Washington would ever bring him here, but now Alexander was sure this wasn't fantasy, that this had to do with why he couldn't remember a thing.

He let the storm that was growing stronger approach him as if commanding it would actually work. He yelled at it, demanding answers. Alexander knew why he had pushed this thought away. He knew he had never once cared about what happened before he was at the castle, but now, the holes were more noticeable. More demanding. He couldn't just go around life blissfully unaware of half a decade of his life.

Alexander was close enough to put a hand into the storm. He wondered why he wasn't being forced into the worst of it. He stepped a foot in, the wind overtaking his sense of hearing. Alexander kept marching, determined to see what was in the middle. It had to be something; he couldn't have just conquered his childhood uneasiness of storms for nothing. He felt peaceful approaching the middle, despite him thinking the middle would be the worst of the storm. He thrust his arm forward, only recoiling when he heard someone yell, "Alexander!" This wasn't a voice he thought he had heard before, but it wasn't just the emotion that made him cringe. It was that it was familiar. He stepped forward by an inch to hear the woman scream again, the wind not enough to drown her out.

It had to be time. He needed to see her. But her desperate scream of, "Don't!" distracted him enough to where he recoiled, letting the tide carry him out. The woman's voice vanished, overpowered by Laurens begging, "Alex, this isn't funny. Wake up." There was a rush of energy entering him like he was being shocked into waking.

The pain stayed with him as he struggled to open his eyes. He felt like he breathed in water, something strange he would ponder if it were not for the fact that he couldn't breathe as well as he'd like to. He panicked as his body forced him to cough everything out. The water didn't escape, but his hands still remained clamped around his mouth. Everyone was staring as finally, he felt something come up. Not water like he expected, but a single petal. He looked up to see Laurens take his hand off him and the others, looking like they would surely worry themselves to death if he had stayed in his thoughts a second longer.

Hercules commented, "Okay, Eliza, I think you'd understand if I said I didn't want to meditate anymore." He was unsure what to do; Alexander could understand that. From what he could gather, he passed out.

"No, I understand... But still, meditation is supposed to clear your mind, it isn't linked to magic. This must be Alexander's powers," Eliza stammered, "It's usually never this... violent. Maybe it's sight, seeing how he must've been struck with a vision..."

"It's speech," Laurens asserted, "Of course it's Alexander's luck to get the power with the worst way of revealing itself." Alexander smiled but continued examining the petal he had coughed up. Gross, but it's not like his day could get any weirder.

But that statement was quickly proven wrong. On the back of the petal, the flower which he identified as possibly a lily, had ink writing out a message that said, "You'll see her soon enough if you continue on this path, with your second-in-command brave enough to lead the way."

Eliza was looking over his shoulder. "Vague. Do you know who this 'she' is? I've never seen someone with speech get an omen like this," she asked, glossing over the deaths it predicted like this was how it usually went.

"I have a feeling whoever she is, she's long gone," Alexander said, no emotion seeping into his voice, "And I believe it'd be best not to go where she went." He shot a look at Laurens, who looked as if he was suspecting the same thing as Alexander was. That woman in his vision, Alexander wondered if that was his mother. As unlikely and oddly optimistic of him to still be wondering about his mother, he had a strong feeling that he was right. And his second-in-command? It could be Laurens, the one he trusted with decisions even experienced advisors didn't hear of. Or Burr, the technical second-in-command since he would command if something were to happen to Alexander.

Whatever the omen predicted in terms of his death, it was inevitable he'd have to find the money to invest in some guards. He wasn't going to be passive in this prediction, especially if it meant someone like Laurens dying.

He glanced a second time at the aforementioned, who gulped. He seemed to realize what this meant for him.

He was going to have to rise up.


	4. Voices

His days didn't become enriched with magical activity once he found his powers. If anything, he only doomed himself to more lessons. Alexander sighed. He was already taking speech classes; he didn't believe more meditation was going to help him. He often found himself worrying the sessions in his mind would kill him one day. Nothing posed a danger to him in his mind but it was abstract enough to cause Alexander to be curious over what it all meant.

Even Eliza was confused. "So your mind suddenly shifted from being fixated on your memories to the present?" she questioned, prodding further about the vision he had shared with her. Alexander shrugged. It was strange, to say the least. In his mind, he was confronted by the people who were in his life. But no matter what he said, they only responded with the same few things.

Like his words didn't matter. Laurens would just smile and nod, Burr would shrug, and Jefferson would say something about him being wrong. But Alexander decided not to take this to heart and only kept trying ridiculous things to say to these versions of them. If only just to stupidly grin as he said, "I'm not the greatest," and wait for the usual offended gasp from Thomas and the exclamation of how wrong he was.

Later in the day, he caught a break. A true rarity. He sat, bored out of his mind, at his desk, a question boiling over in his mind. Shouldn't he have heard of magic sooner? Tensions rose as Alexander suspected who knew why they had to hide magic from him. He decided to search for the answer. The only one who responded was, as he predicted, Laurens, who said, "Washington said so." Alexander had him cornered in his room; there was no way Laurens could ignore him.

"But why?" Alexander asked, "I could've used this skill earlier, why did everyone need to hide it?" Laurens had a tight-lipped expression, holding back any words from slipping out. "There are dangers, I know," he stated, "But I could've learned everything about the dangers."

"Alex," the other assured. He was dusting while Alexander was ranting. Laurens continued with, "There are dangers you can't control. You know this. It was best for you to learn later, trust me. It's far easier to command your powers the older you are." Alexander knew the manner lessons were working. Without a doubt, the other was becoming more assertive. But it didn't take lessons to tell when someone was holding back the truth.

Alexander sighed, knowing he needed a better plan if he wanted to get more information. He then said, "I suppose you're right, you do make a good argument." Laurens kept dusting as if he was pretending he didn't hear him. It was clear the compliment made him uncomfortable, as much as it upset Alexander. "So, what are these dangers?" he asked, hoping his plan worked.

"You can hurt someone," Laurens said, though his expression was announcing there were numerous more dangers. It was still easy to read him after all this time. Alexander shot him a look he hoped conveyed that. The other exhaled. "Alex, they're not going to tell you this but now that you're learning... If you use magic on someone far more powerful, that someone could surge their powers right back into you. They can get an easy peek inside your head, all without you knowing… I suppose that's my reason not for using magic and Washington's reason to keep you in the dark. Better not to get tangled up in that mess." Alexander was close to something big about the other, but he decided not to push him. He let Laurens continue meticulously dusting the same spot.

"Then there's the matter of the omen," Alexander recounted, "Laurens, did my recruitment request get out yet? Guards probably should've been a given because of my administration; I must've worried everyone sick…"

Laurens raised his eyebrows in worry, seeming to have remembered something. "Um… speaking of guards, do you happen to know anyone who has access to your room and access to… flowers? I found this on your desk while I was tidying up at noon." He almost seemed in disbelief as he removed a wilted rose from his pocket.

"The only person I can think of is you, I don't allow anyone other than Eliza…" Alexander said, the rose being passed from the other to him. The petals fell off at a brush of his hand. "Get this to Lafayette. I know it's a silly thought, but these flowers… They can't mean something good."

Laurens nodded, taking the flower back from him. "Right," he affirmed, pausing before saying, "If it's any help, I'll keep a watchful eye until those guards are hired."

"No, you're to take care of yourself," the other retorted, "I can't lose my most faithful friend to something as simple as mere exhaustion. If nothing else, it would make me look awful." He chuckled, watching the other loosen his grip on the duster and smile.

The other sighed, saying, "But it's service first, Alex. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself for once." He offered a smile and nothing more. It was a peaceful moment, a rarity. Peaceful but uncomfortable, Alexander felt like something needed to be said. Before he could say anything, Laurens jumped and said, "Which reminds me, Burr wishes to discuss something with you. I told him to wait downstairs."

"Can't be bothered to knock on my door, huh?" Alexander joked, brushing strands of hair away from his face. Burr seemed to be the only noble in the entire castle he had to suck up to, and Alexander was his adoptive brother. He supposed the other had bigger plans than associating with him, whatever they were. He had a feeling he'd find out eventually, he had an odd knack for espionage. Though it wasn't like there were spies surrounding him, only because he didn't have the heart to constantly keep tabs on his family and didn't have the time to upkeep a spy in another country. For the time being, he had no spies.

As Laurens said, Burr was waiting right at the railing of the stairs. Leaning on the wall right by the stairs' entryway, his smile was as cool as his stance. Burr never had to worry about anything; his skills in ruling were natural. Alexander sometimes wondered why he wasn't declared a legitimate child before him. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew Burr was far better than him.

"Alex, good to see you at this hour," Burr greeted, "Want me to lay the situation like a noble or should we keep things your speed?"

Alexander crossed his arms with an eyebrow already being raised in his direction. He asked, "What is this?"

"An engagement announcement," the other said like it was no big deal. That was Burr's trick, nothing felt like a huge sacrifice to him. And that's exactly how he'd make you feel if you let him in your head, Alexander had seen this time and time again. "In fact, the wedding coincides with the anniversary of our country's founding. It'll be a lovely event to show her what Minutiae has to offer. What's even better is the leader of Fluxus himself will attend."

"Amazing," Alexander said, "I truly wonder how he finds the time to leave when his country is in shambles."

Burr only smirked and said, "Well, it would be a wonderful opportunity to get some one-on-one time with Fluxun politicians. You are rather renowned for being enthusiastic about their government."

The other squinted at him, then asking, "Well, I can't go to a wedding without knowing her name, right?" Alexander's words dripped with suspicion as his accusatory nature came to light. He wondered how he hadn't heard of this sooner. Surely somebody should've told him.

"Theodosia," Burr answered, the name sliding off the tongue with grace, "I've been courting her for months, you know." The name set off alarms in the other's head. For a Fluxun noble, she had strong ties to Elysia. Marrying her would put Burr in an interesting position, to say the least. The second alarm was that she was married; she was married to someone from Elysia, in fact.

At least she was married the last time he checked. He sighed, his earlier thoughts coming to mind. Maybe the poor woman was divorced or a widow now. It wasn't the best for his health to keep analyzing Burr's every move anyway. He's heard stories of families plotting against each other for power. The things one would do for his position. How nobody could be trusted, how nobody in power could live life without this fear. That was a tradition Alexander could do without. Besides, Burr would be satisfied sitting high up on the ladders of all three countries in the area.

"So, Theodosia, huh? Was she hard to win over like they said?" Alexander asked, a smile finally able to rest on his face.

Burr sighed, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Extremely," he said, "She wanted the best in law, the best in manners, the best in dancing. Not even scratching the surface of that woman's standards. Hell, she even jokingly told me to master butter churning to see if I would do it! Let's say the maids were confused I was joining them for a while."

"Well, I'm glad she didn't want the best shot," Alexander joked.

The other laughed and mentioned, "I've been training at the range, in case of something like that happening. And speaking of manners, it's rude I haven't even thought of congratulating you on your own marriage until now. Be sure to treat her well, or I'm sure Angelica's going to break down your door."

"Why do you think I'm looking for guards?" he proposed, "But thank you, to you as well. Eliza is a wonderful woman, but I do wish we got the time to court as you had." That was a true sentiment, there were things Alexander did which he knew bothered even Eliza. He wished there was something he could do to alleviate the worry he had stepped in the way of her path. After all, she wasn't just a pawn to end a war. Just in the grand scheme of things she was. All he could do was strike up an unlikely friendship with her, which she definitely didn't make hard with her personality.

"Well, I'll send you on your way with some advice," Burr said, the sage in him growing but not annoying yet, "Be sure to compliment Fluxus' ministry of state sometime. He'll be surprised, sure, but any kindness towards him is indirectly helping your chances with Jefferson himself." Alexander blinked, surprised the advice was sound and doable for him. It was a blatant admittance the other was sucking up to Fluxus, but he could forgive that if it meant he could avoid being overly friendly with Jefferson. Burr slipped up the stairs, leaving Alexander to think to himself for a bit.

Speaking of Jefferson, the gala was rapidly approaching. In fact, it was set a week from now. The trip would only take three days, so Alexander didn't have to worry. He could use this time to work. Or relax, something he's never had an entire day dedicated to. He stood up straighter, thinking that perhaps a break would be good for him. The worries of both his daytime stress and cryptic dreams seemed to stack rather than remain stuck to their time frame. Every time he passed a mirror, he saw the creeping approach of eye bags. He seemed to more resemble a skeleton rather than an intimidating ruler. Alexander the Bony, what a legacy. George already had the impressive name of George the Defender, so it would be no surprise if all he turned out to be was Washington's shadow.

He walked outside and exhaled, his warm breath mingling with the cold air and condensing. His steps crushed the dry and dark orange leaves that were resting on the path; the loud crunches reminding Alexander of his inherently unstealthy nature. Already he knew who frequented the gardens. Alexander felt his pace pick up, the sound of foot hitting stone echoing out into the evening. The moon was hanging out near the horizon, full and tinted orange. He skidded to a full stop outside the entrance, expecting a familiar face to look up.

Instead, it was only Lafayette chatting with Hercules. Alexander's shoulders fell as he sighed. He put his hands in his pockets and counted his losses. At least it wasn't someone who would chastise him for not being at his desk nonstop. He wandered into the entrance, no particular destination in mind. His eyes flickered back to the pair, their hands brushing as they talked about the day's proceedings. They contrasted with the dark and conveyed an attitude of time not moving unless they wanted it to.

Lafayette looked in his direction, his hand beckoning him forward. Alexander complied, his steps growing heavy. It seemed like something was wrong by how the mood dampened as soon as they noticed him. He raised an eyebrow at the two.

"It's good to see you, Alexander," Lafayette greeted, his voice not doing any favors to the sudden change in tone. It only seemed to make things more muddled. "Come, sit. There's much to discuss."

As soon as he got comfortable, Hercules burst out with, "I found more flowers. Like Laf said to me earlier, they're _everywhere._ "

"I just had to steal away from the translations," Lafayette complained, sighing, "Only two have been amorous, they just seemed to stop once the, what's a nice name, death threat flowers started appearing." Death threats in the form of flowers, Alexander was soundly proven wrong about his insistence that there was no such thing. Hopefully, he hadn't accidentally sent one of those. "Now, I know you may be worried about assassinations, poisons... And you're probably right." Lafayette wasn't the best at tact, Alexander concluded.

He knew that the news had to be delivered anyway, regardless of his sensitivity. "But," Lafayette said, interrupting him before his thoughts stole him away, "We will do our very best to keep you alive. First, common sense. You know not to take drinks from strangers, right?"

"But you said in my last lesson that refusing a drink was rude," Alexander countered.

The other exhaled, sending a message to Hercules with a quick glance. "This is your life, Alexander. I'd rather have you be rude than to be the first person to die from politeness," Lafayette asserted, "Now, on the subject of the gala, you're still going. But things are not safe in the castle, so pack your bags. We're going to Washington's place."

Alexander jolted, arguing, "Washington? But he hadn't given me any sort of clue where he is!"

"He gave me directions," Lafayette said, his expression uncomfortable and worried. Alexander felt betrayed, yet another thing kept from him by someone who was supposed to be his mentor. What made Lafayette more special in his eyes? Alexander found his mind already pinning blame on Lafayette; the real culprit was Washington. "Alex, don't worry. You'll still be able to work, and I want you to invite only your most trusted companions. Everyone else, they will _not_ hear about this trip. If anyone asks, I want you to report it to me because that means they've clearly been snooping."

"Okay," Alexander answered, his mind going to partner choices. Obviously Eliza, with the lessons in each other's minds he was convinced she could not harm a fly. Laurens was the first choice no matter what though, the two had a deep trust, not even the stupidest thing Alexander could do would break it. And he supposed Hercules could come along with Lafayette, with all the looks they shared, he concluded that he would not want Lafayette sulking the whole time without the tailor.

Speaking of tailors, Alexander asked, "Hercules, may I please have my wedding suit back for the gala? I'm afraid there's no time to waste on a whole wardrobe of suits."

"Of course," he said, "I saved the rose that was tucked in the pocket, it's really a beauty despite its awkward meaning."

Lafayette squinted, shooting a look at Alexander. "May I ask where that flower came from? It appears to be the source of all of this madness."

The other's eyes widened, realizing Lafayette would accuse Laurens of such a thing if he revealed it. Still, he spoke. That was something he could do nonstop, but not well. "Laurens gave it to me, but don't blame him. He barely even knows what the flowers mean, I don't either," Alexander sputtered in defense of his friend.

"I've taught him a few lessons in manners," Lafayette stated, "I wanted to pick up where he stopped in his studies and he was far past those lessons. He knew what that flower meant, he knew the scandal it would cause at the wedding. I dare say he's behind those other flowers as well! Think about it, he's third-in-line. He knows he can climb the ladder, I've had plenty of servants who would try to wed me or family who would try to stage an accident for me. You're next on the chopping block, and you don't want to save yourself!"

Alexander clenched his fists and cried out, "You're wrong, Laurens would never betray me like that!" Just saying that drained his energy as he felt the weight of the world upon him like Atlas. He felt thoughts leave his mind, too tired to hold them in and far too insecure now to let them out. As soon as that outburst was out of his mouth, he saw what effect it had on Lafayette. He seemed shocked, almost afraid. Definitely shaken to the core. It appeared Alexander had finally scratched the surface of what exactly his speech powers could do.

The group stayed silent for a long while. Alexander was terrified Lafayette would just quit, surely being yelled at wasn't his cup of tea when it came to a job he didn't even need. But all that escaped Lafayette's drained lips was, "I believe you. Just... go pack. I need a moment." Alexander watched Hercules link his arm with Lafayette's, walking him back to the castle.

Alexander felt guilt wash over him like waves from so long ago. "I didn't... I just wanted to defend him," he muttered, calling out his body for just using magic like that. He didn't know it would be like that, he thought it was only a push towards what he wanted. Something wasn't the same within him as he watched Lafayette's limp become more pronounced, a loud reminder of what was stuck with the man for life.

He heard a teasing voice in his hear repeat, "You can hurt someone." But the familiar voice had come too late, the damage was done.

"You will hurt so much more," another voice said.

This time, the warning stuck.


End file.
